Exclusive Interview with nighTime

The tone of NightTime’s music is so distinctive that it is hard to compare it to other artists’ work. It’s the kind of music that can evoke a close-knit sense of emotional reflection in the listener. A restless, late night is the ideal time to enjoy music, and songs like “Animals” and “Measurements” are able to precisely express this vision. Check out the exclusive interview below:

1. Can you tell us a bit about where you come from and how it all got started?

nighTime: I was raised in Los Angeles and just recently moved to Chicago. I began writing and recording as nighTime years ago in LA, but I spent a large part of that time learning how to mix our music, crafting an idea for the online image, and perfecting the live performance.

2. Did you have any formal training or are you self-taught?

nighTime: I’m self-taught for most instruments, with guitar being my first at 6 years old. I’ve also recently become self-taught in mixing and production, which has become a new passion of mine.

3. Who were your first and strongest musical influences and why the name ‘nighTime?

nighTime: My first influence was Jimmy Page, he inspired my desire to play guitar. He helped me understand at a young age that you do not have to play guitar as clean and technically organized as possible. He helped me appreciate the art of playing messy and loud, yet in structure and with purpose. Other artists in my future, such as Brand New, Flume, Frank Ocean, and Tame Impala, helped direct me towards the sound I naturally pursue now while songwriting. As far as my choice in the name “nighTime”, I am naturally a night owl and all of my songwriting and creative process takes place at 3 AM.

4. What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?

nighTime: I like to describe our music as a “nocturnal dreamstate”, as I write and mix our tracks with the intention of immersing the listener into a subconscious, dream-like experience. I feel our songs span multiple genres altogether, so it is really difficult to pinpoint any one specific genre for our music.

5. Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it or are you expecting something more, or different in the future?

nighTime: I absolutely love what I do. I know that I would continue songwriting regardless of any circumstances, it just feels like a natural part of who I am. With regards to mixing music, I feel it’s involved an entirely different mindset in approach. I tend to get deep into my mixes and I’m always trying to improve. Luckily, I’ve been enjoying each new mix I finish a little more than the previous one. So yeah, I definitely get a strong sense of fulfillment as I progress further, and I’m sure these feelings will continue.

6. Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song? Do you usually start with a tune, a beat, or a narrative in your head? And do you collaborate with others in this process?

nighTime: My creativity always sparks in the middle of the night. The sunrise is my cue to consider going to sleep. There is something about the silent stillness of the night that drives my urge to create and try new ideas. My songs typically begin with a guitar or bass riff, then I just expand from there. Sometimes I’ll start thinking about a melody in my head, so then I’ll run to the nearest instrument and get the idea out before it’s gone. I’ve always honestly preferred songwriting just by myself. Although I do love working with talented vocalists to feature on some of our tracks.

7. What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?

nighTime: Medical school, no doubt. That has been the most challenging experience I’ve had to face. But I never allowed it to override my musical creativity, I feel it’s really important for me to have a creative outlet that allows me to take my mind off of school and work. Music helps to keep the balance within my life.

8. On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?

nighTime: Moving to Chicago! I love it out here. This area feels more like home than my actual hometown, which is over 2,000 miles away right now. I came out here for school, but I’ve had the luck of meeting some lifelong friends and amazing musicians out here.

9. Creative work in a studio or home environment, or interaction with a live audience? Which of these two options excites you most, and why?

nighTime: Performing live is definitely what excites me the most. I do love and crave the creative process of songwriting, but nighTime’s live performance has been an idea I’ve been working on for a while now. Our show is extremely unique, and that has been the goal since the beginning. It involves live performed remixes of all our original material with no breaks between songs, creative and unexpected transitions in between, movie scene quotes spliced throughout, and experimental visuals. We want our live show to be an experience for the public. Our first shows start here in the Midwest in a month and I’m extremely excited to debut our project!

10. Do you think is it important for fans of your music to understand the real story and message driving each of your songs, or do you think everyone should be free to interpret your songs in their own personal way?

nighTime: I’ve created nighTime with the intent of obscurity and ambiguity, for open interpretation. We prefer to post pictures online of beautiful landscapes and colorful imagery instead of ourselves. Our songs range through different styles of music and emotion so that we can hopefully attract a variety of musical tastes. As our catalogue expands, I would love for it to one day consist of multiple varying niche genres so that everyone is able to find their own personal favorites by nighTime to enjoy.